Politics

A Draft Health Reform Outline

By Karina

Today, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, and Education and Labor Committee Chairman George Miller briefed the Democratic Caucus on their draft health care outline to reduce costs, offer a greater choice of doctors and plans, and guarantee affordable, quality health care for all Americans, saying:

Our Committees are working as one to develop a uniquely-American solution to the health care crisis that is endangering the financial security of individuals and businesses. This solution will fulfill President Obama’s commitment to provide quality, affordable health care for all. This framework will build upon what works by ensuring that patients can keep their health coverage if they like it, preserve patients’ choice and reduce costs. We will also fix what is broken through marketplace reforms, sliding scale credits to make coverage more affordable, and provisions to combat waste, fraud and abuse, strengthen Medicare and Medicaid, and invest in the health care workforce and public health. By improving the current system and offering a public health insurance option to promote honest competition with private insurance plans, we will provide individuals and small businesses with better, more affordable choices.

We will continue to seek input and work closely with our colleagues, outside stakeholders, and the Administration and are on track to introduce legislation shortly. We anticipate Committee action on health reform in the coming weeks, with legislation on the House Floor prior to the August district work period. Reforming America’s health care system is critical to our country’s long-term economic recovery and long-term fiscal health. We are confident that we will achieve reform that will give Americans peace of mind and return our great nation to a path of prosperity for generations to come.

Speaker Pelosi on the outline:

Our economic recovery and nation?s fiscal future hinge on fixing what?s broken in our health care system: lowering costs to families and businesses, preserving choice of doctors and plans, and assuring quality health care for all Americans.

Members of Congress and President Obama are bringing the voices of the American people into the legislation we are crafting. We look forward to building consensus around the framework the committee chairmen unveiled today.

Read the outline (.pdf)>>

Full post as published by The Gavel on June 09, 2009 (boomark / email).